


Shove Off

by coconutknightshade



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: AND GETS INTO A FIGHT WITH FLASH THOMPSON, AND TONY IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT AT ALL, Arguing, Bully Flash Thompson, Bullying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Insecure Peter Parker, Light Angst, Peter Loses his Abilities, Tony Shows Up at Midtown, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:33:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23957710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coconutknightshade/pseuds/coconutknightshade
Summary: When Peter wakes up without his abilities, he just wants to get through the day as painlessly as possible. Things take a turn, however, when he and Flash cross paths in the hall.---For the Anon requesting Flash bullying Peter and, after getting into a fight, Tony is called down to the school.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 35
Kudos: 457





	Shove Off

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the anon request in my inbox: I get bullied a lot at school and I was wondering if you could write a fic where Flash is bullying Peter and they get into a fight and Tony gets called to the school?
> 
> As someone who went through it growing up, I understand how you're feeling. I also understand how overwhelming it can be, and how many days are much harder than others. 
> 
> Because of this, I want to provide a bit of information about the [24/7 Crisis Text Line](https://www.crisistextline.org/). Reaching out to this helpline is completely free (outside of your standard texting fees) and connects you to a trained volunteer/crisis counselor. It's very easy, and aims to be a stress free experience. If it helps, what's going to happen is - After your initial text, there will be a few automated messages before you're connected with a Crisis Counselor. This may take a few minutes, but you will be connected. 
> 
> This [Crisis Text Line](https://www.crisistextline.org/) isn't limited to any specific subject, and is prepared to assist with issues ranging from bullying to depression to the current pandemic. If you aren't comfortable texting, their site also provides additional resources and helpful information pertaining to several issues. 
> 
> USA & Canada: Text HOME to 741741  
> UK: Text HOME to 85258  
> Ireland: Text HOME to 086 1800 280

It's when Peter's face - chin then nose - collides with the floor that, in a haze of sleep, he thinks to himself, _"something is very wrong."_

Peter Parker does not simply _fall_ out of bed. 

With a grunt, he pushes himself from the floor just enough to roll onto his back. The ceiling is… Blurry? That can't be right. Their apartment building is older. The kind of old that means it was built when _popcorn ceilings_ , for God only knows what reason, was stylish. But the thing is, Peter can barely make them out. Even scarier, everything is _silent_. He can't make out the sound of May rustling around in the other room- Hell, by the distinct absence of her heartbeat, Peter doesn't even know if she's home. 

Everything is so _quiet_ , and after nearly a year with enhanced _everything_ , the sudden silence is deafening. 

Peter wholeheartedly panics. 

He lurches forward into a sitting position, subconsciously pressing his hands all across his chest and abdomen as if to make sure there is no physical harm, all the while glancing around for his phone. The clock reads _7:26_ , and a high pitch distressed sound leaves him. 

_"Fuck._ May!"

\---

It's when he steps into the classroom and sees everyone's eyes on him that he realizes it's going to be a shit day. He's late. _Really_ late. And it's not entirely because he overslept. No. He's truly late because he and May spent twenty minutes trying to track down his old glasses… And another ten minutes fretting over his sudden loss of abilities. 

"Hey Peter, I don't know if you've realized, but you're wearing _glasses._ " 

Peter groans as he slides into the seat next to Ned, pushing the aforementioned glasses further up his nose and flipping to the appropriate page in the textbook. When he glances up, Ned is staring at him expectantly. 

"Yeah, fam, I know." There's no way Ned is going to leave it at that - not that Peter can blame him - and so continues with a pained sigh. "I don't have answers, Ned. I don't even know where to begin. I woke up this way, and I'm pretty sure it has something to do with whatever was in that dude's syringe the other night. Like, a virus or something."

"Holy shit." Ned drops a sympathetic hand to Peter's shoulder. "Do you think it's permanent?"

"I sure as shit hope not. I'm hoping Doctor Strange can take care of it. I just, ya know, need to get in touch with him on the D-L. I feel like I'm moving through the day behind a foggy glass window. It's like my senses are dialed down to almost nothing. I _hate_ it." 

"Oh no," Ned's voice is monotone, dry. "You're a pleb like the rest of us now."

Peter playfully rolls his eyes and elbows his best friend. "You know that's not what I meant." 

"What did Mr. Stark say?" 

Peter side-eyes Ned, already looking contrite. 

"What did…? Ned, I can't _tell_ him. I'm an _Avenger_ -"

"No, you aren't."

"Don't get technical, Ned. It wounds me." This time Ned rolls his eyes with a grin. " _Anyway._ I can't tell Mr. Stark. It's embarrassing, ya know? Spider-Man isn't supposed to have asthma." 

"Listen, Peter. You can't _not_ tell Mr. Stark. He's _Iron Man_. You spend, like, every other weekend with him _and_ sometimes you get to work as like, the B-Team. He'll want to know. Besides, we don't even know if it's permanent." 

"Ned, this sucks." He drops his head into his hands. 

\---

It's when he's walking down the hallway, books held tight against his chest that things get really interesting. Yes, he's had nearly two asthma attacks since History, and for the first time in nearly two years, he's had _zero_ appetite at lunch. But-

He and Ned are talking about how long he can reasonably wait before he absolutely _has_ to tell Mr. Stark when someone bumps into him. Well, not so much bumps into him as shoves their shoulder against his as they pass, harsh enough that he loses his balance. His textbooks spill onto the floor, and he has to close his eyes to keep it together. Fucking _Flash Thompson._

"Watch where you're going, Penis." Peter wants to wipe that smirk off his arrogant face. "Or are those glasses just some pathetic attempt at aesthetics?" 

"Shove off, Flash. Bullying me won't suddenly make mommy love you." 

Something in Flash's eyes spark, and it's as he's closing in on the three, maybe four feet between them, that Peter thinks, _shit._ He stumbles backwards as Flash firmly places his hands on Peter's chest and _shoves_. He's furious, and Peter swallows thickly. "You want to try that again, Parker?" 

The threat of things turning physical looms just out of reach, and Peter automatically takes a step back. _Self-control_. As much as the thought of knocking Flash on his ass fills him with unadulterated glee, he can't do it. He knows he can't - That he has to be the bigger person. With his abilities -

Peter sucks in a breath, eyes scanning the crowd for his best friend. Ned, always on the same wavelength, is already wide-eyed and nodding somewhat emphatically. It's the adrenaline of the moment, an opportunity afforded to him that likely won't come around again. While Flash is usually all talk, the two of them have tied up on numerous occasions. From those scuffles, it's only ever Peter who walks away hurt. Because, yeah. 

But it's different this time - This time Peter doesn't have an unfair advantage. No, this time he has an opportunity to push back. And, maybe, he can put a stop to it once and for all. It's with that in mind that Peter raises his chin and says, "You heard me."

Flash is still invading his personal bubble when he says, "At least I have a mommy." 

This time it's Peter who shoves Flash away from him. "This again? You've got a real hard-on about me being an orphan. Or maybe… you just have a real hard-on for _me_. Is that it?" 

"Fuck off, Parker. You wish! I've got better taste in partners than someone as sad and pathetic as you. A _liar_ \- News flash: Jerking off to Tony Stark doesn't make you his personal in-"

Peter's fist connects with Flash's nose, resulting in what has to be the most satisfying crunch he's ever heard in his life. He steps back and shakes his hand, shakes out the pain. It's positively _electrifying_ , but he barely has time to let the euphoria sink in before he's being slammed up against the locker, Flash's hands fisted in his shirt. The blow has his glasses slipping off his face, but he can still see the blood dripping from Flash's nose and the fury in his eyes. He pulls Peter away from the locker and then shoves him back against it, looking satisfied when Peter's head connects with the hard metal.

"You're _dead_." 

Peter doesn't respond, just grips Flash's wrists tightly and headbutts him without thought. It's enough to force Flash into releasing his hold before stumbling back with a surprised yelp, hand flying up to where their heads connected. Peter's ears are ringing, a headache already blossoming from both the headbutt and where it had been slammed into the locker. 

"Oh, yeah? I'm _shaking_ ," he says through his teeth, crossing the distance between the two. 

It's not long before they're rolling around on the ground, wailing on each other in a long-overdue brawl. When finally Peter is being pulled off the ground by Coach, he's got a split lip, a bloody nose, and what promises to be a very spectacular shiner. But _God_ , does he feel good. 

\---

It's when Peter's sitting in the office with toilet paper up his left nostril and an icepack pressed to his face that the pain really begins to set it. His _everything_ hurts: face, head, _ribs._ And for once, unless his spidey powers somehow miraculously return overnight, he's going to wear the injuries as a badge of honor. After a few years of letting Flash push him around - sometimes literally - knowing if he fought back, he'd hurt the kid, he _finally_ had the chance to do something about it. 

May is going to be _pissed_. 

Except, it's not May that steps into the front office radiating anger, and when Peter spots Tony Stark, he pales, blood running cold. Forget May being pissed… 

Peter Parker is _fucked._

"Mr. Stark," his voice cracks. Tony won't even look at him, jaw set as he approaches the front desk. 

"I'm here for Peter Parker." Tony's voice is as icy as Peter's skin suddenly feels. The receptionist, Sherry, stands frozen in place, mouth opening and closing in surprise. She must sense the tension rolling off him in waves, for she recovers quickly, clearing her throat and looking down at what Peter knows are the suspension forms in front of her. 

"Peter was in an altercation with another student, both of whom were left… Well, looking like that." She nods in Peter's direction and finally Tony turns towards him, eyes sharp as he appraises the damage. Peter wilts, pointedly avoiding his mentor's gaze. "Per school policy, they'll face suspension. The length of which is at Principal Morita's discretion. He's currently with Mr. Thompson and his father." 

Tony takes the forms handed to him and hesitates for a brief second. "Do you have somewhere private that I can speak with Peter?" 

Maybe, if he's lucky, Peter will have a heart attack before Sherry answers. Unfortunately, no such luck. She nods and gestures towards a small conference room attached to the main office. Tony turns towards Peter, narrows his eyes, and jerks his head ever so slightly towards the door. God, Peter wants the floor to open and swallow him whole. Gingerly he crosses the office and into the conference room, not turning towards Tony until the door is shut. 

The man is downright angry and, while Peter gets it, he also doesn't? Like, sure. Peter is a _superhero_. He's supposed to be above all of this, but he's also a _teenager._ They aren't out there in the streets, there are no Avenger - or even Spider-Man - level threats. So really, Tony hadn't even needed to show up. It's not like the man can be _embarrassed_ by him. Not when he so easily could have circumvented any connection between the two of them by simply sending Happy in his place, or really any other possibility that didn't include his physical presence. It's not like anyone believed the legitimacy of Peter's internship anyway. Though, this definitely isn't his preferred route for validation. 

_Yeah_ , Peter thinks, a little self righteously. He's a _teenager_. And currently, he's a teenager without superpowers, and once Tony realizes that he'll cool off. It's not like the ferry instance- No lives were put at stake. He just needed to explain… 

"You've got ten seconds, Kid." 

"Listen, I know what you're thinking, but-"

"Ohh," Tony drags out, unimpressed, "I highly doubt that." 

"No, I'm serious. But the thing is-"

"There is no _thing,_ Peter! What were you _thinking_?" 

"I was _thinking_ -"

"No, Pete, wrong answer. You _weren't_ thinking. If you _had_ been thinking-"

"I thought I had ten seconds!" Peter interrupts angrily, tired of being interrupted himself. Tony's nostrils flare, but he stands straighter and crosses his arms over his chest expectantly.

"I am _sick_ and _tired_ of Flash Thompson walking around this school like he _owns_ the place! He's a _bully_ , Mr. Stark, and-"

"Spider-Man stands up against bullies. I get it Peter, but at _school_ -"

" _Ten seconds,_ " Peter interrupts again, anger only deepening. He knows where Tony is going. He's Spider-Man, but at school, he's just Peter Parker- He _has_ to be just Peter Parker. He can't walk around plain as day flexing his abilities and fighting ignorant bullies who don't know when to keep their mouth shut- Not when fighting back risks injuring them disproportionately. 

"Your ten seconds are over, the adult is speaking now. I cannot _believe_ -"

"I lost my abilities," Peter whisper-shouts through his teeth. He's not being _heard_. "I woke up without them, and it _sucks_ , Mr. Stark. _Real bad_. But I'm not going to pass on the chance to stick up for myself and my friends. I'm done letting Flash Thompson bully me. I'm done letting him shove me around, and I'm _done_ going home with bruises just because I can't de-"

"Hold it," he cuts him off with a finger. _The Finger_ , Peter has dubbed it. The _zip it_ one. Peter holds his breath, waiting for Tony's reaction to this new information. He knows it's irrational, but can't entirely shake the feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach when his brain provides him with - _When Tony realizes Spider-Man is gone, that you're just a kid without any abilities, it's all over. Without Spider-Man, you're just a bright kid from Queens._

That's the thing with insecurity - _Knowing_ is one thing, but _feeling_ is a whole other matter, usually acting without the brain as a pilot. Therefore, after a half-second preparing for his Doom and Gloom Worst Case Scenario, Peter is caught off guard when Tony merely continues with, " _More_ bruises? Meaning, _other_ fights?"

Peter frowns, confused that _that's_ what Tony's chosen to focus on. He stumbles over his words when he says, "Well, no. I don't fight back- That would be wrong. But since ya know, like I said, I _don't have my abilities_ , I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to do something about it."

Tony pinches the bridge of his nose. "Peter, why didn't you tell me that you were being bullied? We could have done something about it." Again, Tony not immediately acknowledging what Peter feels is the bigger issue here catches him further off guard, and he once again stumbles over his words. 

"Because... I didn't think it was relevant?" His brows are furrowed, taking in Tony's agitated expression that doesn't seem to relate at all to the fact that he's _lost his abilities_. How is this not the more pressing issue? What's Tony's beef here?

"Didn't think it was- How is it not _relevant_ , Kid? I ask you how school is going every time I see you, and you _don't_ tell me you're being bullied? What gives?" 

"I don't know? I didn't think you'd-" He cuts off, staring at his feet, feeling utterly stupid now for what he was about to say.

"You didn't think I would care." The hurt in his voice is subtle, but it's there. Peter's head shoots up, eyes wide. 

"No! No, it's not that at all, Mr. Stark! It's just, you have so much going on right now, and you're taking care of _so_ many things, ya know? And it makes sense that Spider-Man would fall in line with that, but you just have so much on your plate-"

"You didn't think I would have time for both Spider-Man _and_ Peter Parker." It's a statement, not a question. Peter's gut sinks at the way Tony's voice is now thick with hurt. "Christ, Kid. Do you think I only care about Spider-Man? That I only _prioritize_ Spider-Man?" 

Peter purses his lips, eyes narrowing pensively as he searches for an answer that will dig him out of a hole he's unintentionally buried himself in without even knowing how deep of a hole it actually is. 

"No?" 

Tony drops down heavily into one of the chairs near the conference table. "Listen, Peter. I don't care about Spider-Man. I mean, _I do_ , obviously. But _you_ are my priority. If you decide to give it all up tomorrow, I'll still be here. Nothing would change - I'll still want you over, I'll still want to know how you're doing. And I will _definitely_ want to know if you're being bullied." 

"So, you're not mad that I got into a fight because it wouldn't have been a fair fight, you're-"

"I'm _pissed_ because you were in a fight at all, Pete. I realize the irony here, but violence doesn't solve _everything_. Especially cases like this. I wish you would have talked to me. Or _anyone_. Even _Happy_ would have been an option." 

They sit in silence for a moment, Tony rubbing his forehead and Peter wringing his hands together. 

"Mr. Stark?"

Tony sighs, raising his head. He looks exhausted now, and Peter winces, knowing just how deeply wrong he was.

"Yeah, Kid?"

"I'm being bullied," he begins quietly, hesitant almost as he meets Tony's gaze. "By this kid at school. He's been an ass to me for years, but it's gotten worse lately. Sometimes it gets a little physical, but not always. Usually, I'm able to shrug it off- Just Flash being Flash. But it's become harder. Especially when he targets Ned." 

Tony eyes him with consideration, corners of his mouth twitching into what could have become a borderline amused, soft grin. He nods, almost as if he's come to some sort of decision, and pulls himself to his feet. "I'll take care of it, Pete."

At that, Peter can't help the slow spread of his own smile, expression now lightened into one of relief. It quickly falls though when Tony stretches an arm out towards him. 

"C'mon, kid. Time to face the music." Peter groans as he steps towards Tony, who wraps an arm around his shoulders and guides him to the door. It dawns on him that after all of this, he'll still have to face May. 

"And, about the other thing?" he whispers as they cross the threshold back into the office. 

Tony stops, turns so that he's facing Peter head-on, hands still gripping his shoulders, when he says, " _That_ one, we'll take care of _together_." 

**Author's Note:**

> Hi All! Thank you so much for reading - Let me know what your feels are! Additionally, if you're in one of the countries not listed in the top authors note and would like some assistance tracking down resources in your country, please let me know and I'll do the best I can to help! <3
> 
> You can also catch me at - [Coconutknightshade](https://coconutknightshade.tumblr.com/)
> 
> \---
> 
> I'm going to re-iterate this one more time - 
> 
> This [Crisis Text Line](https://www.crisistextline.org/) isn't limited to any specific subject, and is prepared to assist with issues ranging from bullying to depression to the current pandemic. If you aren't comfortable texting, their site also provides additional resources and helpful information pertaining to several issues. 
> 
> USA & Canada: Text HOME to 741741  
> UK: Text HOME to 85258  
> Ireland: Text HOME to 086 1800 280


End file.
